Monday, November 26, 2007

Navi - Navi !!!!!

Unfortunately, this is going to be much briefer than I would like. I gave a short shiur on this on Shabbat, and will try to do my best here, but am very busy with some life circumstances at the moment and can't give my posts the attention they deserve...

There is much to learn through the words of the navi'im, and especially the weekly portions that where selected to accompany the weekly Torah portion. Navi is traditionally very hard to read commentary about, as the navi is speaking through a vision or whisper from G-d, and is trying to relay future events through his or her (the navi's) frame of reference.

Two weeks ago, we had the Haftara of Hoshea. As we read this haftara, I almost fell out of my chair as it so much described the situation of the week leading to Annapolis. It says, in brief, we are not united, "Efraim" is lying to G-d and to the house of Israel! He (Efraim) rules with lies, deceit and extortion! BUT, "Yehudah" hangs on to G-d, and the lost children will return FROM THE WEST. Oh, by the way, it specifically says "Efraim goes by KADIM(A)!!!". (Sorry, that's the brief edition and from memory.) The commentaries on it are confusing, as they replace different words with various national historic contexts, but try reading just the straight pshat.

This weeks Haftara is the navi Ovadiah. Ovadiah specifically speaks of Edom, understood to mean the West, humiliating Israel and leading the nations to divide Jerusalem!!! Specific references to the sign of the eagle, and living in tall buildings, are made.

And why, why? Well, last week Hoshea told us, "to buy oil!!!".

Read the two navi'im in pshat, the words are startling in the context of Annapolis this week. I'll revisit this post as time allows with more detail, G-d willing.